Slate of shrieval appointments announced

Eighteen new sheriffs and 14 summary sheriffs have been named in a bumper round of appointments following a recruitment exercise by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

Sheriffs

Ten solicitors and eight advocates become sheriffs, including nine already serving as summary sheriffs. They are:

Craig Harris, a former district procurator fiscal in several offices and a summary sheriff since 2017, appointed to Stirling Sheriff Court from 16 August 2021;

Paul Brown, a former solicitor who became an advocate in 2009 specialising in criminal trials and appeals, and a summary sheriff in 2018, to Dundee Sheriff Court from 16 August 2021;

Barry Divers, an advocate since 1999 and summary sheriff since 2017, to Glasgow Sheriff Court from 1 September 2021;

Daniel Kelly, a former procurator fiscal whose roles included National Deputy Head of the Scottish Fatalities & Investigations Unit, and a summary sheriff since 2017, also to Glasgow from 1 September 2021;

Ian Wallace, a former procurator fiscal, solicitor advocate and advocate depute, a summary sheriff since 2018, to Aberdeen Sheriff Court from 1 September 2021;

Matthew Jackson QC, who after 10 years in practice as a solicitor became an advocate in 2000 and a  Queens Counsel in 2019, practising mainly in criminal work, to Glasgow from 4 October 2021;

Jane Farquharson QC, called to the Bar of England & Wales in 1993, admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 2002 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2019, latterly assistant principal Crown counsel, to Livingston Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021;

H Eoin McGinty, who originally practised criminal law in London before moving to Scotland in 2008 and joining the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service ("COPFS"), becoming a solicitor advocate in 2017 and a summary sheriff in 2019, to Paisley Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021; 

Gillian Craig, partner in MacRoberts' Commercial Disputes team and a member of its management board, also to Paisley from 4 October 2021;

Murdoch Mactaggart, who joined COPFS in 1995 and an advocate depute since 2012, to Kilmarnock Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021;

Colin Bissett, head of Regulatory at DAC Beachcroft Scotland LLP since 2015 after running his own practice, also to Kilmarnock from 4 October 2021;

Michael Higgins, who became a founder member of Lanarkshire Law Practice in 2013 after practising with T G Bradshaw & Co, Bellshill, and became a summary sheriff in 2019, to Greenock Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021;

Liam Murphy, who joined COPFS in 1998, procurator fiscal for specialist casework since 2016 and a summary sheriff since 2018, to Hamilton Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021;

John Speir, admitted as advocate in 1993, latterly practising primarily in family law, also to Hamilton from 4 October 2021;

Adrian Cottam, who joined COPFS in 1996, going on to become an advocate depute and senior advocate depute, a summary sheriff since 2017, to Lanark Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021;

Maryam Labaki, called to the bar in 2010 and a full time advocate depute from 2017 to 2020, to Dunfermline Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021; 

Susan Duff, a procurator fiscal before becoming an advocate in 2003 where she specialised in solemn defence work, also to Dunfermline from 4 October 2021; and

C Euan Duthie QC, an advocate since 2006, fee-paid judge of the First-tier Tribunal since 2014 and Queen’s Counsel since 2019, to Perth Sheriff Court from 4 October 2021. 

Summary sheriffs

Appointed summary sheriff, all from 4 October 2021, are the following 11 solicitors and three advocates:

in Glasgow, Bernard Ablett, of COPFS, a solicitor advocate and advocate depute; Amel Elfallah, of COPFS and a specialist in equalities and training work; Vincent Lunny, successively a solicitor, depute fiscal, advocate, and solicitor in New Zealand; Mark McGuire, of COPFS and an advocate depute; and Simone Sweeney, solicitor advocate and fee-paid judge of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland;

in Aberdeen, Lesley Johnston, solicitor advocate with Kennedys and a legal member of the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber);

in Edinburgh, Matthew Auchincloss, director of the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office and a solicitor advocate;

in Greenock, Sheena Fraser, advocate, senior advocate depute and depute head of the National Sexual Crimes Unit in Crown Office;

in Paisley, Laura Mundell, of COPFS, latterly head of the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit and deputy PF, specialist casework;

in Hamilton, Louise Gallacher, of COPFS, latterly head of EU Exit Coordination and International Crime;

in Airdrie, Joanna McDonald, solicitor advocate, formerly of the PDSO and latterly an advocate depute and senior advocate depute;

in Ayr, Diane Turner, currently location head for rradar (Scotland) Ltd, with previous experience in private practice and with COPFS;

in Kirkcaldy, Timothy Niven-Smith, advocate, with experience in defence work and as an advocate depute and senior advocate depute; and

in Perth, Francis Gill, currently director of Corporate & Legal Services at Castle Craig Hospital, with a previous career in private practice.

The appointments were made by the Queen on the recommendation of the First Minister, on the basis of a report by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.